Tanna police investigate use of fake Vt5,000 note

Police on Tanna are investigating who the person is behind the use of a fake Vt5,000 note that was used to purchase items at a retail shop on the island on January 1.

The fake Vt5,000 was apparently promotional notes of one of the telecommunication companies who distributed it to market its Christmas promotion.

Because the shopping by the culprit was done at night around 9pm, the shop assistant did not notice the fake note.

The Police Relations Officer on Tanna, Nos Wilfred, said the shopkeeper did not notice the money until Monday morning when he was on his way to
Lenakel to purchase new cargo.

The retail shop affected is located at the Isangel station.

Mr Wilfred said this is one of the incidents of its kind where two sides of a promotional note were glued together and were used at night.

The police officer called on people of Tanna not to adopt urban practices and perform them on the island.

“Let us become an example so that other islands can learn from us,” he said.

The representative of the telecommunication company concerned stated that it is unfortunate that this incident has happened but said the promotional note has different features from legally tendered Vt5,000 note.

He said the size of the promotional note, which the company had proper authorization before printing, is much bigger than the real Vt5,000 note and the note used to con the shop has written across it the word “legal”.

The police office on Tanna could not reveal the name of the shop because investigations are still going on and will reveal the shop as soon as investigations are completed.